


Kingdom Of Ours

by Oldguybones



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: Fantasy AU, King Hanlon is everything, M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 03:06:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17051900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oldguybones/pseuds/Oldguybones
Summary: In the far off land of Derrius lived the most noble king. His name was Michael Hanlon and he was a just ruler to his kingdom. After the unfortunate passing of his father, and with no siblings to compete with, he took the throne at a record age. But despite his youth, he continued his father’s legacy of promising a better tomorrow for the people under his reign. Most attested it to his father’s leadership being passed down, and sure, that was partially true. But the new king knew he would be nothing without those close to him, two men in particular, Stanley Uris and Bill Denbrough.





	Kingdom Of Ours

In the far off land of Derrius lived the most noble king. His name was Michael Hanlon and he was a just ruler to his kingdom. After the unfortunate passing of his father, and with no siblings to compete with, he took the throne at a record age. But despite his youth, he continued his father’s legacy of promising a better tomorrow for the people under his reign. Most attested it to his father’s leadership being passed down, and sure, that was partially true. But the new king knew he would be nothing without those close to him, two men in particular.   
  
One was a wise man named Stanley Uris. Fleeing from his own war-torn village, he arrived in Derrius as a young teenager where he met a dashing prince, of whom he fell in love with almost immediately. In no time, the prince took a liking to him and the two had been inseparable ever since. Stan had a vast knowledge of everything magic and proved to be an invaluable partner to the royal family, especially in regards to his natural affinity for healing. Though, Mike always swore Stan did more for his heart and soul than he ever did for his body.    
  
The other was a brave man named William Denbrough. Throughout the entirety of his adolescence, he was trained to be a warrior, spending all day and long nights working towards a goal his father laid out for him. With the growing divide between his village and the neighboring land of Derrius, he supposed it was a useful skill to have, to be able to defend himself and his family. But during a trip there, he crossed paths with two breathtaking men and he never found the heart to return home afterwards. He became close with them, learning one of them to be prince of his enemy land and the other the prince’s companion. From there on out, he pledged his loyalty and his services to the both of them, promising to guard their lives with his.    
  
Years passed. Not long after Mike took the throne did Bill’s homeland of Harwick attack. It was a devastating battle, fought brilliantly by an armor of men and women who gave everything they had to defend their land and their king. But the odds were stacked against them from the beginning. Despite the way they fought so gallantly, the Harwick natives kept pouring in, easily outnumbering them in unspeakable volumes. The amount of blood shed on that night would forever go down in infamy in the kingdom’s history.    
  
Their army held out as long as they could, but soon enough, the enemy broke through their defenses and stormed in through the gates. They quickly worked their way through the castle, destroying every last line of defense along the way. Then they arrived upon the king’s quarters and therein stood Bill, the hilt of his sword clutched tightly in his hand. Not a single person would pass by him; Bill would sooner die than surrender at the feet of his now enemies.    
  
Mike tried, with all his might, to convince Bill to accept his help, that the two of them could fight side by side. But Bill refused. He would die before allowing the two loves of his life any harm. Outside their bedroom door, he stood, barricading the two of them in. Bodies dropped all around him, almost as quickly as they arrived and soon enough, his chest heaved drastically from the strong exertion of the fight. He sucked in a breath and held it, just long enough to listen for any far off activity. Finally, all seemed quiet.    
  
The soft sound of the door clicking open caused Bill to turn around, a tired smile written across his face at the sight of his two lovers standing in the doorway. He strode over to, cupping Mike’s cheeks and pressing a firm kiss to his lips.    
  
“My king,” he sighed happily, resting his forehead against Mike’s for a peaceful moment. Mike laid his hands over Bill’s and stole another kiss from his lips.   
  
“You fought so graciously,” Mike whispered to him.   
  
Bill moved to cup both of Stan’s cheeks, his eyes slipping shut as his lips brush a gentle kiss against his forehead. “Are you injured?” Stan frantically inquired, his deep green eyes shining with concern as they locked with Bill’s bright blues.   
  
Bill shook his head, brushing back the stray curls from Stan's face. “I am perfect.”   
  
“You are,” both his lovers agreed, perfectly in unison. The trio remained silent for a moment, drinking in the brief peaceful interlude before they were whisked off to assess the damage to their village. Bill needed to assemble a team to help him rebuild their defenses, as there was no telling when the next attack would be. Stan played a crucial role as the healer; he would accompany Mike onto the grounds of the battle and survey the carnage to find and heal any survivors.   
  
“The battle may be over for now,” Mike spoke valiantly, “But we still have much to do.”   
  
Both Bill and Stan nodded solemnly.    
  
“I shall go forth and begin the repair of our defenses,” Bill murmured, spinning on his heel and jogging down the long hallway. Mike and Stan weren't far behind, fingers tightly laced together. The two of them watched as Bill rounded the corner and a second later, they were greeted with an audible, pained gasp from their lover. Hearts now racing once again, they turned the corner to find Bill on his knees, a short dagger stuck in side. His lips parted to drag in labored breaths as a thick red hue stained his fingers down where they pressed around the knife. When he looked back up, his eyes glossed over.    
  
“Bill!” Stan cried out, immediately lunging forward towards him, only to be pulled back by Mike’s firm grip on his hand. Mike’s jaw clenched tightly as he huffed angry breaths through his nose. Even in the face of danger or tragedy, a king must always conceal his true emotions; expressing them could only prove to be a weakness for the enemy to take advantage of.    
  
Bill’s assailant yanked his arms roughly behind his back, using the grip to force him onto his feet. From the sudden moment, Bill staggered, but never once did his gaze dip. “You may hurt me until I draw my final breath. But I will never allow any harm to become upon my two loves.”   
  
Mike gently pushed Stan to stand behind him as he heroically pulled his sword from its sheath on his belt. “Hand him over,” he demanded, “You will not take him anywhere.”   
  
“Think again,” the man smirked as two more enemy soldiers approached the scene from behind them, raising their bows and aiming the arrows directly towards Mike and Stan. “We are simply returning him to where he belongs.”   
  
“Over my dead body,” Mike growled, shaking his head.   
  
“That can be arranged.”   
  
“Mike, stop,” Stan begged from behind him. He wished, desperately, to be able to heal his partner, who seemed to be losing more and more of the color in his cheeks as blood leaked out from around the knife. If only he could touch Bill, for even a second, he could completely erase his pain.    
  
“No!” Bill’s sudden angry shout cut through the air, “I will go of my own free will, if it ensures their safety.”   
  
Stan lurched out from behind Mike and quickly strode towards Bill. Right before he could place his hands on him, he was being drug away and the two soldiers stepped forward, the tips of their arrows practically pressed against Stan’s chest. He did not flinch in the slightest though, his piercing green eyes staring between them as he watched until Bill disappeared from his view.    
  
“We have to help him,” Stan whispered, tears glistening in his eyes as he turned just in time to fall into Mike's open arms. He looked up at Mike and saw he also had tears shining in his soft brown eyes.   
  
“Do not worry, my love,” Mike replied gently, though tightly, seemingly in an effort to prevent the tears from spilling. “At dawn, we shall set off to retrieve him.”   
  


*****

  
Neither of them slept that night. Whether it was due to the absence of their third or how the vague stench of death still hung in the air, on the night they needed it the most, sleep could not be found. They both laid in their bed, despite the fact that it felt so much larger with one less person.   
  
Stan's hand rested on Mike's bare chest, his face buried deep in his cheek. One of Mike's arms wrapped around his shoulder while the other rested on top of Stan's.   
  
“Are you scared?”   
  
Mike shook his head, before turning it to press a lingering kiss to Stan's forehead. “With you by my side, I could fight a thousand wars.”   
  
“Let us never have to fight so many,” Stan spoke softly as he moved to slide out of bed. He stood before their full length mirror, slowly dressing himself with tense moments.    
  
Mike sensed the tension and stood behind him, bringing his hands up to massage his shoulders. “We shall return in no time, the three of us.”   
  
Stan let his gaze flicker up to the mirror to meet Mike's eyes, “What if he is no longer of sound health?”   
  
“Do not think like that Stanley,” Mike chided him gently, leaning down to press a kiss to the back of Stan's neck. “You know him as well as I do. That man will not give up without a honest to God fight. He will be fine.”

 

“I suppose you are right,” Stan conceded, turning around to face his partner, the king. Stan trusted his judgement implicitly. Never once had Mike given a single reason to doubt him, and surely, he wasn’t about to now. 

 

“Now let us go eat a proper feast,” Mike said, taking Stan's hand in his own. “We shall need much energy for our travels. They shan't be easy.”

 

*****

 

They packed as light as they could, while still gathering all the necessary supplies and factoring in the addition of their third on the return trip. The lighter they rode, the quicker they could return and both of them were more than eager to make a hasty trip back. This was particularly true for Stan, who usually tended to carry the brunt of the anxiety; it wasn't as though Mike didn't worry, because with an entire kingdom to look after, he had his fair share. 

 

But his outlook tended to be more positive compared to Stan's, not that Mike could place even an ounce of blame on him. Growing up where he did and how he did, sometimes he was surprised he didn't face more anxiety. Mike tried to keep in mind all the painful memories the whole endeavor most likely brought forward. So despite how strongly he wanted to tell Stan to remain calm, he understood that Stan needed to process his feelings and he would allow him to do so, freely. After all, the wellbeing of his two loves was always the highest priority to him. 

 

The two of them stood outside the stables, their horses saddled and packed, when Mike offered for the last time. He stood before Stan and cupped his cheeks, gently guiding his their gazes to meet in an unwavering stare. “You do not have to accompany me on this journey.”

 

Stan sighed softly and stood on his tiptoes to place a feather light kiss to Mike's lips. “I would follow you to the end of all time, my king.”

 

“Never once have I doubted your loyalty,” Mike assured him, brushing his hair back in the most tender fashion. He helped Stan onto his horse, even though he required none; it stood as more of an intimate gesture above all else. As he straddled his horse, Stan leaned down slightly to caress his thumb over Mike’s cheek. “Let us begin our journey.”

 

*****

  
  


They rode for the majority of the day, only pausing for minimal breaks when absolutely necessary. Between the two of them, they had enough experience with riding to make the journey twice over; so the trip itself would not be their struggle. The hardships along the way, standing in their path, would be their biggest hindrance. 

 

The first one they came upon was just outside their kingdom, a large stone bridge connecting the two pieces of land separate by a wild, rushing river. Progressing further wouldn’t be possible without getting across the bridge. Only one thing stood in their way. Quite literally, a large troll stood in front of the bridge, his arms crossed over his chest. 

 

Mike urged Stan to hang back as he slid off his horse, approaching the creature with his arms raised into the air. “We mean you no harm!” he called out calmly, “But we do need to pass.”

 

“Then you’ll have to solve my riddle,” the giant boomed, unflinching in the spot he stood, looming over the two of them.

 

“As you wish,” Mike said with a nod.

 

“Truly no one is outstanding without me, nor fortunate; I embrace all those whose hearts ask for me. He who goes without me goes about in the company of death; and he who bears me will remain lucky forever. But I stand lower than earth and higher than heaven.”

 

A moment of silence passed as Mike thought through the answer, “I believe the answer to be  _ humility _ .”

 

The giant seemed to think it over for a long minute, before finally stepping to the side with a nod. Mike mounted his horse again, letting Stan move forward first across the bridge. The ground shook beneath them as the giant moved back into his place guarding the bridge. 

 

They rode late into the night; the sky was dark, lit by the the luminous moon and intricate constellations of stars. But soon enough, they began to feel the telling pulls of sleep trying to drag them under, Stan in particular. They pulled over into the nearby wooded area to take shelter for the remainder of the night. Stan curled up against Mike's chest, a thick pile of blankets resting over them. Mike stole a few winks of sleep, but he felt too anxious to sleep soundly for the night. For one, without Bill by their side, things just felt incomplete. And two, in an unfamiliar area at night, he didn't feel comfortable completely letting his guard down. He failed to protect Bill, he would not let the same fate steal Stan away as well. 

 

It must have been nearing the morning, as the sky began to lighten, when Mike awoke to the presence of another body towering over them. He gasped suddenly, one arm tightening around Stan's middle as the other hand inched towards the dagger laying beside him.

 

“Who are you?” Mike asked quietly, staring up at the cloaked redhead. She held a wicker basket full of what appeared to be herbs and spices. 

 

“I think the better question is who are the two of you to be in  _ my  _ forest,” she replied, crouching down in front of them to run her fingers along Stan's pale cheek.

 

Mike stiffened and held Stan even closer to him. “Do not touch him.”

 

“This one has powers, does he not?” She all but cooed, picking a seemingly random herb from her garden and gently rubbing the leaf over Stan's forehead. He stirred slightly in his sleep, but otherwise slumbered undisturbed. “Healing powers, if I am not mistaken.” 

 

“How do you know that?” Mike demanded, his voice tight and restrained. His fingers finally brushed against the handle of his dagger and soon enough, they curled around it protectively. Those with healing powers such as Stan were highly sought after; often times, they were forcefully torn from their homes and held captive to have their powers harnessed. Mike couldn't imagine a reality more horrific reality for his partner. He would do anything to prevent that from happening.

 

“Is it not obvious?” she questioned, her stare flickering up from Stan to Mike’s concerned face. “Protect him at all costs. There are many people who wish to do him harm.”

 

“I am aware,” Mike whispered gently and dipped his head down to press a kiss to the top of Stan’s curls. He pulled the blankets back up to Stan’s chin and tucked them around him. “I do not plan to allow any harm to become of him.”

 

“There are many dangers that lay ahead,” she murmured, returning to the standing position. “Awaken at dawn. Ride through the forest. I will ensure your safety.”

 

Mike frowned at the generosity of the stranger, “Why would you do that? You know nothing about us.”

 

“You have a noble quest to complete. I can tell you are good people and I do not wish to see any more bloodshed across my lands.”

 

Mike nodded slowly, for he could understand the sentiment. More words were on the tip of his tongue, but when he looked up, the mysterious being had suddenly disappeared. Momentarily at ease, for some odd reason, Mike allowed his eyes to slip shut and sleep to temporarily overcome him.

 

A few short hours later, Michael awoke to a lack of weight against his chest. He shortly came to and his heart began to race with worry as he discovered Stan’s absence. Frantically, he scrambled to his feet, whipping his head around to scan the area. Just along the edge of the treeline, he saw Stan standing alongside their two horses. He jogged over to where he stood and enveloped him in a tight hug. 

 

“Hello my love,” Stan said softly, resting his head back against Mike’s shoulder, accepting the tender kiss pressed against his neck. “I have prepared the steed. We are ready to continue.” 

 

“We shall proceed through the forest,” Mike told him and when he was met with a puzzled look, he insisted, “We will be much safe riding through there. You have my word.”

 

A smile graced Stan’s lips as he turned around in Mike’s arms, caressing his hand over his cheek. “You have all my trust.”

 

*****

 

They ride through the forest without incident. By the time they emerge, the sun told them it was approximately midday; they stopped along the edge of the trees for a break and a quick meal. Many kisses were shared in between bites. Despite the nervous energy still present between them, their affections remained unaffected. In fact, with the absence of their lover, the two of them almost felt closer. Right now, they only had each other. 

 

“I miss him,” Stan whispered, almost idly as he packed up their belongings. 

 

“So do I,” Mike agreed. He took their packs from Stan and situated them onto the horses, who were enjoying a meal of their own. “We are almost there. There is one more danger we must face before we arrive in the kingdom of Harwick.”

 

Stan nodded knowingly. “How are we going to pass through?”

 

“I do not know,” Mike confessed solemnly, “But we will find a way.”

 

They arrived outside of Harwick right as the sky began to darken. Perhaps, the timing was not ideal, but they would make do. The cover of night could provide them with a certain advantage to sneak into the city. But only one problem laid in their way and it had to do with what was allegedly protecting the city. Ever since Mike was a young boy, he heard stories about the land of Harwick and the creature protecting it. The actual identity of it varied between rumors; some people claimed it to be minotaur, others proclaimed it was a pissed off dyrad. But the variation Mike heard the most was that a dragon inhabited a nearby cave and ate anyone who attempted to enter the kingdom. Mike always assumed the stories were told to prevent anyone from straying from their own kingdom and into the neighboring enemy land. If that did happen to be the case, it was successful. 

 

“Should we rest?” Stan asked, eyeing the surrounding land wearily. Most of the space consisted of open plains, save for the massive hill to the direct west which ended at the entrance of a large, dark cave. 

 

Mike slowly shook his head, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on the cave. “It is not safe here,” he said quietly, “There is a great evil lurking nearby.”

 

Stan moved closer to Mike, lacing their fingers together and giving his hand a firm squeeze. “We will defeat it, my lord.”

 

The feeling of unease washing over Mike seemed to double as the sky darkens further, even losing all the light from the moon above. A bellowing roar sounded from behind them; Mike quickly drew his sword as the two of them spun around. A thick gust of air hit them from behind and caused them to spin right back around to come face to face with, what they were surprised to see,  _ a human. _

 

But a split second’s glance at the form told them it was anything but human. The blonde haired figure bore the brightest green eyes, with only the smallest black slits for pupils.  And when the creature opened its mouth to speak and revealed a set of sharp fangs, there was no doubt about it. The rumors were right.

 

Unfortunately, those same stories never told of survivors to such encounters. Mike stepped in front of Stan, practically shielding his entire body from the creature. Normally, in the face of uncertainty, Mike fought through it with bravery. But with Stan’s life on the line, the last thing he wanted to do was risk it. 

 

“Please. We need to pass into the land of Harwick,” Mike pleaded, dropping to his knees and instructing Stan to do the same behind him. “We wish to do no harm, but we must take back something which was stolen from us.”

 

The dragon, still adorning its human form, seemed to pause in thought. “I will allow you to pass through,” he said, his voice deeper than most. “On one condition.”

 

“We will do whatever it takes,” Mike replied confidently, remaining on his knees as he stared up at the creature. 

 

“You must also retrieve what they stole from me,” he continued, nose flaring as he huffed out angry breaths. “I have tried countless times to bring my treasure back. But some sort of spell has been cast to prevent any magical entities from entering.”

 

Mike and Stan shared a look at the news as they both rose to their feet.. “I will retrieve the item. What is it I am looking for?”

 

“He is approximately six feet tall. Dark curly hair and bright blue eyes,” the creature listed off, “Answers to the name Richard.”

 

Mike frowned, his eyes squinting in confusion, “...Richard?”

 

The creature nodded, “I left him alone for less than an hour and when i came back,  _ he was gone. _ I know they took him. I’ve lost track of how long he has been gone,” the two of them watched as his face contorted in agony as he clutched his chest, “I feel like I can not breathe in his absence.”

 

Mike could certainly sympathize with such sentiment. Almost three days had passed since they’d last seen Bill and both him and Stan ached in a way he wouldn’t wish on his worst enemy. And no matter how difficult it might be to rescue, now,  _ two  _ people, Mike never once hesitated, because he would do anything to bring Bill back home. So he, above anyone else, could understand. 

 

Mike sighed softly, anxious to leave Stan behind but quick to realize he’ll soon hold a major bargaining chip with this creature. “I shall return  _ Richard  _ to you.”

 

“I will be forever in your debt.”

 

“It shall be paid once I pass through,” Mike said with a nod. He turned around and grabbed both of Stan’s cheeks, bringing their lips together in a passionate, but tender kiss. 

 

Stan rested his hand on the back of Mike’s neck, to slot their mouths together once more. “Return to me in one piece, my king.”

 

“I shall,” Mike promised and grabbed Stan’s other hand, pressing a lingering kiss to its palm. When Mike broke away from him and turned back around, the creature had moved to the side, leaving the bridge into the next kingdom unobstructed. As he reached its entrance, he glanced over his shoulder to steal one last glance at his love. For luck. For strength. For the will to fight. All of which he found in Stan’s eyes.

 

*****

 

Sneaking past the first guard was easy enough; Simply by tossing an old coin in the opposite direction allowed him enough of a distraction to slip behind the tall man and slit his throat. He drug the body into the bushes, to prevent anyone from discovering the lifeless body and assuming his arrival. He knew making his way into the castle would be a tall order. Had he the knowledge of where the two were being held, his trip inside would be much quicker, much safer. 

 

He took out another guard at the entrance to the castle. He crept through the shadows, attempting to quickly gain his bearings in an unfamiliar building. Presumably, if the two were being held captive, they would be in the dungeon. Through the dark, he found his way to the only stairs leading down and, as quietly as he could, descended into, what he hoped to be, the dungeon. Sure enough, when he reached the bottom stair, he was greeted with the sight of multiple bodies chained to the wall; the only two live ones were the exact two he came to rescue. All the others it was already too late.

 

His heart stopped at the sight; Bill sat on the floor before him, arms hung above him with his wrists bound to the wall by tight chains. His head hung low, his hair tickling his stomach. Even from across the room, Mike could see the blood soaking through the bandage haphazardly thrown over his wound. His skin was much more pale than usual and had a sickly tone to it. From the looks of it, he arrived just in time. Now he just needed to get him back to Stan to heal and the three could return home, finally together. 

 

His hands shook as he crouched down beside Bill, cupping underneath his chin to guide his head up. The movement caused him to stir, soft blue eyes slowly creaking open. Mike felt his heart flutter at the sight. 

 

“I’m here, my love,” he whispered softly, using his other hand to unhook his canteen from his belt. He brought it to Bill’s lips and tilted it back slightly to encourage him to drink, which he did so eagerly. 

 

A small smile graced his lips. Even the small action took a tremendous amount of effort in his current state. But that didn’t stop him from croaking out, “My...king.”

 

Mike laughed happily, tears springing to his eyes as he pressed a lingering kiss to Bill’s forehead. “We are going to get out of here soon. Once I find the key…” he trailed off absentmindedly as he looked around the dungeon.

 

“Over there on the wall,” an unfamiliar voice pointed out to him. “By the stairs.”

 

Mike raced over to where a glint of metal caught his eye. Clutching it in his hand, he ran over to the stranger, who he presumed to be the other man he was rescuing. “Are you Richard?” he asked, as he unlocked the shackles. 

 

“Depends on who is asking,” the blue eyed stranger said with a dry chuckle. “Seeing as you are the gentlemen unlocking me I suppose I can trust you. Yes I am indeed.”

 

“I am going to get you out of here,” Mike told him as he moved over to unlock Bill, holding his arms as he did and letting them fall gently to his side. “But I require your help. I can keep us safe, but Bill cannot walk on his own.”

 

“Consider it done!” Richard jumped right up, a clear indication of their various experiences down here. It broke his heart to think Bill hadn't left that very spot  _ for days.  _ He tried to push the thought away as he helped him stand and situated with his arm over Richard's shoulder. 

 

“We stay as low and as quiet as possible,” Mike instructed in a hushed tone. “I have already taken out two guards on my way in. But I do not know what lies above those steps now.”

 

Richie nodded in acknowledgement. Mike scooped Bill up, just long enough to carry him up the stairs. He situated him back under Richard's care and peeked out the doorway to gauge the level of activity. He truly did not know what awaited them on their escape, but they were so close now, he didn't want to risk making an amateur mistake and rushing straight into an ambush. 

 

Their coast was clear; they hurried, to the quickest extent they could manage, down the hallway towards the exit. As they made it outside and down the steps of the castle, Mike couldn't help the uneasy feeling that washed over him. Without a single interference yet, it felt a little too easy of an escape. 

 

Sure enough, as the thought left his mind, right at the beginning of the bridge out of their kingdom, there stood a line of three guards. It was completely blocked off and there would be no passing while the three of them still stood. 

 

“Stand back,” he murmured to the other two as he stood firmly in front of them, pulling his long sword from its sheath. “Whatever happens, you get him out of here.”

 

Mike bravely stepped forward, swinging his sword beside him. “Let us go and I shall do you no harm!” He called out.

 

“You come into  _ my  _ kingdom in the middle of the night,” the man in the middle shouted back. He wore a thick velvet cloak and upon closer inspection, Mike recognized him as the man who took Bill in the first place. “Take  _ my _ property and have the guts to demand we let you pass?”

 

“They will never be your property!” Mike yelled angrily, still stepping closer, even as the two guards on the side began to advance. He easily dodged as one swung at him, spinning around and plunging his own sword into the man's shoulder. Just in time, he pulls it back and kicks him to the ground, successfully tripping the other guard as he made his advance. Mike stomped his boot against his chest when he attempted to return to his feet. Without looking, he shoved his sword down into the second guards neck. 

 

“Do you wish to allow us passage now?” Mike asked smugly, stepping over the bodies to approach, who he presumed to be, the king of Harwick. 

 

“I will do no such thing,” he replied firmly, drawing his own sword. “I will kill you. But before I do, I am going to slit the throat of your beloved in front of you.”

 

The mention of hurting Bill made a white hot fury flash before his eyes. He ran the remaining distance between them and raised his sword towards the man. It was easily blocked by the opposings sword sliding along the length of his to deflect its attack. Mike stumbled forward slightly, but regained his balance just in time to block a swing of the enemies sword. 

 

The two fought back and forth like that continually for some time, before finally they landed simultaneous blows to each other. Mike cried out in pain as the tip of the enemy's sword pierced through his right arm, just narrowly missing his chest. The opposing king, however, didn't have the same luck as Mike's sword plunges directly into the center of his chest. He pulled his sword free and slid it back into its sheath, watching in satisfaction as the other crumbled down the ground.

 

Despite the excruciating pain that had taken over his arm and the blood he could feel trickling down it, he still wrapped an arm around Bill's middle to help Richard escort him across the bridge leading out of the kingdom. Shortly after they passed, both Stan and the creature came rushing forward. Knowingly, Mike carried Bill's complete weight as Richard's eyes locked onto the blonde haired man's. 

 

“Edward!” He exclaimed as he locked his arms around his waist.

 

Mike watched fondly for a second before the sight of Stan's tearful gaze caught his eyes once again. Stan supported their weight the best they could as they both collapsed from exhaustion. 

 

“My king,” Stan whimpered, unable to tear his eyes away from the bloody wound on his arm. 

 

Mike reached forward with his other arm, grabbing Stan's chin and directing his attention onto his face instead. “Stanley please. Bill needs your help more than I do.”

 

Stan nodded silently, ignoring the way hot tears spilled down his cheeks at the mere sight of Bill, let alone the thought of what caused the state he was in. He took a calming breath and allowed his eyes to slip shut as he placed both of his hands on Bill, one against his cheek and the other slipped beneath his shirt to rest on his stomach near the wound inflicted on him days ago. Stan focused all his energy into those touches; he knew they wouldn't restore him back to perfect health, but it would heal his wounds and when the three of them returned home, they could easily nurse him back to health. 

 

Bill groaned softly and raised his head enough to look up at Stan. “My love,” he whispered, slowly raising a hand and resting it on the hand Stan had against his stomach. 

 

“You are a foolishly brave man,” Stan muttered, shaking his head in the fondest manner. 

 

“For the two of you, always,” he replied groggily, his weight still resting back against Mike, who was huffing out pained breaths through parted lips.

 

Stan ripped the fabric of Mike's cloak just enough to press his hand against the deep wound on his arm. He squeezed his eyes shut and focused the remainder of his energy into closing the wound beneath his fingertips. His chest heaved with the effort as it drained the rest of his energy. 

 

“We should rest here for a night before making the journey back,” Mike suggested, tugging Stan into his arms alongside Bill. 

 

Stan seemed less than thrilled at the idea, but knew, with how weak the three of them were, it easily was their best option. 

 

“Allow me to fly the three of you back to your kingdom,” the creature, Edward, said as he and Richard closed the gap between them. “You freed my greatest treasure. I am forever grateful to you.” 

 

Mike looked up at Edward, seeing the way his eyes glowed a green much brighter than when they first saw him. “And I, to you,” Mike murmured with a tired smile. Soon enough, they would be home. 

 

*****

 

A week had passed since the three of them returned to their kingdom and things were finally beginning to feel normal once again. Slowly but surely, the kingdom was being rebuilt and without the threat of another attack any time soon, a comforting peace settled over the land. 

 

One quiet morning, the three of them rested in bed during the early hours of the morning; Bill was the first to awaken, nestled in between his two lovers. He gently caressed Stan's cheek as he settled further back against Mike.  A fond smile found its way to his lips as Stan stirred slightly. Bill's heart soared as he was greeted by the sight of the most beautiful green eyes he had and would ever see. 

 

“Good morning beautiful,” Bill whispered, leaning forward enough to press a chaste, though tender kiss to his lips. 

 

“Good morning indeed,” Stan murmured softly. The two of them kept their voices low to avoid waking Mike. After all, their king needed his sleep, with all the work he'd been putting into restoring the castle. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Better,” he answered with a smile. His fingers continued to trace over the blush on Stan's cheeks and down along the curve of his neck. After healing his physical wounds, Stan spent the rest of the week ensuring the replenishment of his natural energy. “Mike told me how incredibly brave you were on the journey.”

 

Stan scoffed, though his eyes shine with admiration, “Nothing compared to the two of you.”

 

“We would be nowhere without you,” Bill assured him, kissing the soft skin of Stan's forehead. He let out a gentle hum of content as he felt Mike wrap his arms tighter around his middle. 

 

“He speaks the truth,” Mike chimed in, resting a hand on Stan's arm and stroking his thumb over the skin there. “I am elated to have the both of you in my arms again.”

 

“There is nowhere else we would rather be,” Stan murmured happily as he scooted even closer to Bill. Mike leaned over him to steal a kiss from Stan, pressing a kiss to Bill's cheek as he laid back down.

 

“And hopefully we will never have to endure such events ever again,” Bill said softly, slipping his hand underneath Stan's shirt to stroke idly along the base of his spine. 

 

“I would fight an endless army to keep you two safe.”

 

Stan and Bill both smiled at the statement, though it came as a surprise to neither of them. 

 

“We know,” they replied in perfect unison. There was a quiet pause before the three of them erupted with carefree laughter. 

 

And that was how the three spent their long morning, cuddling in bed and exchanging sweet words and touches. They basked in the peaceful stillness in the air and the notion that they could conquer anything the world decided to throw their way. Together. They would always find home in each other.

 

The end.


End file.
